Liz Stowell - Thank god for Hope 4 Pets I now have a number to ring, if you are a tourist like me, I had no idea where the vets were, let alone have any transport to get there. No RSPCA or Police, no one..................

 

George found us, I first saw him looking through a neighbours gates, it was just a quick glance as we went past in the car on our way out, he was very emaciated and he looked old...........

We turned the car around and I went inside the villa for some dog food, I always have a bag in the house in case of passing strays. I went out with a bowl but could not find him, I kept looking for a couple of days, then one evening, Peter called me to the front of the villa, he was talking to a neighbour, and who was laying on the ground near him but the starving dog. Our neighbour said he had been hanging around for 3- 4 days and he had been feeding him, but thought he was on his last legs. He would not let us near him, so I brought out some food and he ate it as if he had never been fed before, he ate some more and was then sick, he followed us to the back of the house, he kept his distance but once we had made him a bed on the covered terrace and gave him water and a small amount of food, he settled down for the night. Next morning he was still there, so we decided to take him to a vet, we took him to Pertev at Animal Hospital in Girne, he quite happily let us put a makeshift lead on him and jumped in the car. Pertev treated him for Ticks/fleas and told us to feed him little and often and suggested small tins of tuna plus dog biscuits to build him up. So we fed him about 6 times a day for the next 3 weeks.

After about 10 days we had given him the name George, he was not old, like we first thought but young possibly 8 months old, he put on weight and gained in strength and started to play with the neighbours dogs, he was just a joy, he never left our side. It was time for a decision to be made, after a lot of soul searching we decided we could not leave him, so extened our holiday by another 4 days to try and find the best way of getting him to the UK.

Hope 4 Pets was in its infancy, and I knew nothing about them. I phoned KAR who helped me with approx costs for flights ect, but could not help me with anywhere to keep George in the 4 months he would have to stay in the TRNC. Panic was setting in, we only had another 3 days to go before our return to the UK. A friend knew of Maria and Vic Chappel who she thought might be willing to look after George for the 3/4 months. With only 2 days left before we flew, we took George to meet Maria and Vic, I didn't see Vic as he was out dog walking, but we got a lovely welcome from Maria, George met a couple of their dogs and they got on fine, George could stay with them in their villa, what a relief. I was quite upset leaving him, but Maria reassured me he would be fine and she would keep me updated on his progress and the months would fly by..... they did!

KAR were very helpful and sorted out all his documentation for me and we kept in contact via e-mail. Maria kept in contact via facebook to let me know when George had had his tests and injections which were necessary before he could fly to the UK. George arrived in the UK via Turkish Airlines at the end of October, 2014. George is a beautiful friendly dog, who we love, he gets on really well with our Lurcher Frankie, and 5 months down the line, he has settled in and is part of our family and we wouldn't be without him.................

The whole process was relatively painless, if a bit nerve racking to start with, so don't let the distance put you off adopting a dog from the TRNC, it is very, very rewarding.